Stage 4 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia: Casper van Uden Edges Out Kooij in Chaotic Sprint Finish
In a surprising twist, Team Picnic PostNL’s Casper van Uden sprinted to victory on stage 4 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, narrowly beating fellow Dutchman Olav Kooij of Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Despite a powerful finish, Kooij had to settle for second place behind his compatriot.
Kooij, who had the support of Wout van Aert as a leadout, explained to Cycling Pro Net how his team struggled to stay coordinated on the technical and at times hazardous final circuit in Lecce. “It was quite technical, which we knew. I think we had some trouble finding each other on the lap,” Kooij admitted. “But I managed to surf the wheels, and then we got together — me and the guys — in the last lap. Edo [Edoardo Affini] brought me to the front really well.”
Despite regaining some organization late in the race, Visma | Lease a Bike’s positioning was still off during the crucial final sprint. “We maybe missed one guy, but in the end, it was a bit strange,” Kooij added. “The speed dropped a bit before the final, after the last real corner. I got swamped a bit and didn’t directly find a gap to do my sprint. And when I could, it was already too late.”
Van Uden’s win marks a notable triumph for Team Picnic PostNL and adds a compelling twist to the early stages of this year’s Giro.
